Bracketless windshield washer tank mounting

ABSTRACT

A blow-molded tank is provided having tack-off features located within the periphery of the fluid containing volume of the tank. The tack-off features are formed by pinching together a portion of the parison in the mold, thereby bonding a portion of the opposing faces of the tank together. The tack-off features are used to conveniently mount the blow-molded tank to a vehicle without requiring the use of a bracket. It is emphasized that this abstract is provided to comply with the rules requiring an abstract that will allow a searcher or other reader to quickly ascertain the subject matter of the technical disclosure. It is submitted with the understanding that it will not be used to interpret or limit the scope or meaning of the claims. 37 CFR 1.72(b).

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1—Blow-molded tank having tack-off features.

FIG. 2—Cross section view of the blow-molded tank taken along section line “A-A” in FIG. 1, showing tack-off features approximately centered within tank.

FIG. 3—Cross section of alternate embodiment of blow-molded tank taken along section line “A-A” in FIG. 1, showing tack-off features located flush to rear of tank.

FIG. 4—Blow-molded tank having tack-off feature and indexing protrusions.

FIG. 5—Vehicle having blow-molded tank having tack-off features.

FIG. 6—Rear view of a blow-molded tank having tack-off features projected from a mounting surface of a vehicle.

FIG. 7—Rear view of a blow-molded tank having tack-off features and indexing protrusions projected from a mounting surface of a vehicle.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

It is advantageous in the manufacture of vehicles to minimize the number of components and manufacturing steps that are required to assemble a given vehicle. Blow-molding vehicle fluid containers or tanks helps to accomplish this by providing complex shapes and integrated mounting surfaces. It is further advantageous that the blow-molded vehicle fluid tanks be self locating to some extent, and that they contain a maximum volume of liquid in a minimum amount of space. Integrated mounting flanges do not accomplish this end effectively, as they require a mounting space larger than the boundaries of the fluid tank.

FIG. 1 shows a blow-molded tank 101 having a front face 104, a rear face 105, and tack-off features 102 located within the periphery of the fluid containing volume of the blow-molded tank 101. The tack-off features 102 are formed by pinching together a portion of the parison in the mold when the blow-molded tank 101 is formed. In this way, the material of the front face 104 and the rear face 105 form cup-shaped hollows 106 that contact one another at their base 109 and bond together. Each cup-shaped hollow 106 of the tack-off feature 102 may be completely encompassed by fluid-containing volume of the blow-molded tank 101, or it may only be partially encompassed by fluid-containing volume of the blow-molded tank 101, such that there may be a completely or partially narrowed region 107 between the cup-shaped hollow 106 and the periphery of the blow-molded tank 101. Further, there may be a similar completely or partially narrowed region 108 extending between each cup-shaped hollow 106 of the tack-off features 102. Each tack-off feature 102 has a mounting hole 103 adapted to receive a mounting fastener 112 (not shown).

FIG. 2 shows a cross section view of the blow-molded tank 101 taken along the section line “A-A” in FIG. 1. The cross section view has been taken centered over the tack-off features 102, showing that the front and rear cup-shaped hollows 106 are of approximately equal depth, having their base 109 located between the front face 104 and the rear face 105 of the blow-molded tank 101. The tack-off features 102 are again provided with a mounting hole 103 adapted to receive a mounting fastener 112 (not shown).

FIG. 3 shows a cross section view of an alternate embodiment of the blow-molded tank 101 taken along the section line “A-A” in FIG. 1. The cross section view has again been taken centered over the tack-off features 102. In the alternate embodiment of the blow-molded tank 101 represented in FIG. 3, only the material of the front face 104 is displaced, such that there is only a front cup-shaped hollow 106, with minimal displacement of the material of the rear face 105. The base 109 of the cup-shaped hollow 106 is located adjacent to the rear face 105, and is again provided with a mounting hole 103.

FIG. 4 shows a blow-molded tank 101 having a front face 104, a rear face 105, a tack-off feature 102 located within the periphery of the fluid containing volume of the blow-molded tank 101, and indexing protrusions 110. The tack-off feature 102 is again formed such that there are cup-shaped hollows 106 that contact one another at their base 109 and are bonded together. A mounting hole 103 is again provided at the base 109 of the cup-shaped hollows 106. The indexing protrusions 110 are formed out of the rear face 105 of the blow-molded tank 101. They are formed by extrusion of the material of the rear face 105 into cavities in the blow-molding die. They may be partially hollow, or the material may be substantially thicker at the indexing protrusions 110, such that they are solid in cross-section.

FIG. 5 shows a vehicle 201 having an engine 202, a chassis 203, and a body 204. The body 204 is provided with a windshield washer system 205. A blow-molded tank 101 having tack-off features 102 located within the periphery of the fluid containing volume of the blow-molded tank 101 is used to supply windshield washer fluid to the windshield washer system 205 by means of a washer fluid tube 206. Mounting fasteners 112 attach the blow-molded tank 101 through the tack-off features 102 to the chassis 203 of the vehicle 201. Alternately, the blow-molded tank 101 may be attached to the body 204, or even to the engine 202.

FIG. 6 shows an exploded view of the installation of a blow-molded tank 101 to the chassis 203 of a vehicle, which chassis 203 is only partially shown. The blow-molded tank 101 is again provided with tack-off features 102 located within the periphery of the fluid containing volume of the blow-molded tank 101 and having mounting holes 103, through which mounting fasteners 112 are inserted in order to attach the blow-molded tank 101 to vehicle mounting holes 113 in the chassis 203. Note that the mounting fasteners 112 may be shoulder bolts as shown, in order to minimize clamp load stress on the blow-molded tank 101.

FIG. 7 shows an exploded view of the installation of a blow-molded tank 101 to the chassis 203 of a vehicle, which chassis 203 is only partially shown. The blow-molded tank 101 is provided with a tack-off feature 102 located within the periphery of the fluid containing volume of the blow-molded tank 101, and having a mounting hole 103 and two indexing protrusions 110. A mounting fastener 112 is inserted through the mounting hole 103 in the tack-off feature 102 of the blow-molded tank 101, in order to secure the blow-molded tank 101 to a vehicle mounting hole 113 in the chassis 203. The two indexing protrusions 110 fit into other vehicle mounting holes 113, thereby securely preventing the blow-molded tank 101 from rotating.

While specific embodiments have been described in detail in the foregoing detailed description and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, those with ordinary skill in the art will appreciate that various permutations of the invention are possible without departing from the teachings disclosed herein. Accordingly, the particular arrangements disclosed are meant to be illustrative only and not limiting as to the scope of the invention, which is to be given the full breadth of the appended claims and any and all equivalents thereof. Other advantages to a vehicle equipped with a blow-molded tank having tack-off features may also be inherent in the invention, without having been described above. 

1. A vehicle for operation on the ground, said vehicle having a body and a chassis, comprising: a blow-molded tank having a front face, a rear face, and at least one tack-off feature located within the periphery of the fluid-containing volume of said blow-molded tank, said at least one tack-off feature being characterized by at least one cup-shaped hollow, said at least one cup-shaped hollow being provided with a mounting hole; and at least one mounting fastener extending through said mounting hole in said at least one cup-shaped hollow of said at least one tack-off feature and attaching said blow-molded tank to said vehicle.
 2. The vehicle for operation on the ground of claim 1, wherein: said blow-molded tank further comprises a windshield washer fluid tank.
 3. The vehicle for operation on the ground of claim 1, wherein: said at least one tack-off feature further comprises a single cup-shaped hollow formed in said front face of said blow-molded tank.
 4. The vehicle for operation on the ground of claim 1, wherein: said at least one tack-off feature further comprises a first cup-shaped hollow formed in said front face of said blow-molded tank and a second cup-shaped hollow formed in said rear face of said blow-molded tank.
 5. The vehicle for operation on the ground of claim 1, wherein: said at least one cup-shaped hollow of said at least one tack-off feature is fully encompassed by fluid-containing volume of said blow-molded tank.
 6. The vehicle for operation on the ground of claim 1, wherein: said at least one cup-shaped hollow of said at least one tack-off feature is partially encompassed by fluid-containing volume of said blow-molded tank.
 7. The vehicle for operation on the ground of claim 1, wherein: said blow-molded tank further comprises indexing protrusions located upon said rear face, said indexing protrusions engaging compatible features located upon said vehicle.
 8. A vehicle fluid storage system, said vehicle fluid storage system comprising: a blow-molded tank having a front face, a rear face, and at least one tack-off feature located within the periphery of the fluid-containing volume of said blow-molded tank, said at least one tack-off feature being characterized by at least one cup-shaped hollow, said at least one cup-shaped hollow being provided with a mounting hole; and at least one mounting fastener extending through said mounting hole in said at least one cup-shaped hollow of said at least one tack-off feature and attaching said blow-molded tank to a vehicle.
 9. The vehicle fluid storage system of claim 8, wherein: said vehicle fluid storage system further comprises a windshield washer fluid storage system, and said blow-molded tank further comprises a windshield washer fluid tank.
 10. The vehicle fluid storage system of claim 8, wherein: said at least one tack-off feature further comprises a single cup-shaped hollow formed in said front face of said blow-molded tank.
 11. The vehicle fluid storage system of claim 8, wherein: said at least one tack-off feature further comprises a first cup-shaped hollow formed in said front face of said blow-molded tank and a second cup-shaped hollow formed in said rear face of said blow-molded tank.
 12. The vehicle fluid storage system of claim 8, wherein: said at least one cup-shaped hollow of said at least one tack-off feature is fully encompassed by fluid-containing volume of said blow-molded tank.
 13. The vehicle fluid storage system of claim 8, wherein: said at least one cup-shaped hollow of said at least one tack-off feature is partially encompassed by fluid-containing volume of said blow-molded tank.
 14. The vehicle fluid storage system of claim 8, wherein: said blow-molded tank further comprises indexing protrusions located upon said rear face, said indexing protrusions engaging compatible features located upon said vehicle.
 15. A blow-molded tank, comprising: a front face, a rear face, and at least one tack-off feature located within the periphery of the fluid-containing volume of said blow-molded tank, said at least one tack-off feature being characterized by at least one cup-shaped hollow, said at least one cup-shaped hollow being provided with a mounting hole.
 16. The blow-molded tank of claim 15, wherein: said at least one tack-off feature further comprises a single cup-shaped hollow formed in said front face of said blow-molded tank.
 17. The blow-molded tank of claim 15, wherein: said at least one tack-off feature further comprises a first cup-shaped hollow formed in said front face of said blow-molded tank and a second cup-shaped hollow formed in said rear face of said blow-molded tank.
 18. The blow-molded tank of claim 15, wherein: said at least one cup-shaped hollow of said at least one tack-off feature is fully encompassed by fluid-containing volume of said blow-molded tank.
 19. The blow-molded tank of claim 15, wherein: said at least one cup-shaped hollow of said at least one tack-off feature is partially encompassed by fluid-containing volume of said blow-molded tank.
 20. The blow-molded tank of claim 15, wherein: said blow-molded tank further comprises indexing protrusions located upon said rear face. 